Poynton to take over the gloves for Derbyshire in wake of Sutton departure

TOM POYNTON has been unveiled as Derbyshire CCC’s first-choice wicketkeeper following the retirement of Luke Sutton.

Head Coach Karl Krikken has moved quickly to distance the club from speculation regarding the signing of a replacement wicketkeeper and has backed Poynton, an academy graduate who made his first-class debut aged 17 in 2007, to take the gloves full-time.

Krikken said: “Tom has been earmarked as a Derbyshire wicketkeeper of the future for several years and he is now ready to become our number one for the position.

“He has demonstrated smooth glovework since his time on the academy and – following a stint on the Darren Lehmann Academy last winter – his batting improved significantly during the 2011 season.”

Tom Ponyton scored two second XI centuries in 2011 as well as impressing with a powerful cameo of 42 off 30 balls in the Clydesdale Bank 40 match versus Yorkshire at Chesterfield.

Overall he has made 19 first team appearances to date plus two Tests and three One Day Internationals for England Under-19s.